Health Impact of Chocolates on Dental caries
Keywords:
Streptococcus mutans, Dental caries, Cocoa, Antibacterial activityAbstract
Dental caries is the most common among the spectrum of oral diseases and are still continuing to be a major public health issue in developed as well as in the developing countries, affecting 60%-90% of children and adults worldwide. Streptococcus mutans is major organism responsible for dental caries. The research aimed to investigate the antibacterial effectiveness of chocolates with varying cocoa contents against Streptococcus mutans, and it also involved investigating the correlation between chocolate consumption with different cocoa contents and the occurrence of caries. The study was conducted during July 2023 to April 2024 at Sathyabama Dental college and hospital. The antibacterial activity of the chocolates was assessed using the agar well diffusion method, with chlorhexidine and distilled water serving as positive and negative controls, respectively. A questionnaire was designed for the online survey. Inclusion criteria of the survey study were between 18-60 years who consumed chocolates. Demographic parameters such as age and sex of the participants were considered for this study. Online survey was conducted from 403 peoples. One way ANOVA post hoc Duncan test was used to determine the significance of different cocoa content chocolates for the antibacterial activity. Paired t test and Pearson correlation was used to analyze the online survey study. P-value less than 0.05 was considered as a statistically significant. The zone of inhibition for chocolates with different cocoa contents followed the order: up to 100% (12.7±0.4) > 80% (12±0.6) > 60% (11.33±0.3) > 40% (10.86±0.3) > 20% (9.96±0.5) > 0% (no zone). Among the chocolates, those with higher cocoa content exhibited greater antibacterial effects against Streptococcus mutans, the primary organism responsible for dental caries. According to the online survey findings, individuals consuming dark chocolate or chocolates with cocoa content exceeding 60% had a lower incidence of dental caries. The study concluded that the antibacterial activity against caries-causing organisms depended on the cocoa content, with high cocoa content chocolates displaying significant antibacterial properties. The survey results indicated that individuals consuming chocolates with higher cocoa content were associated with a lower prevalence of dental caries. Both aspects of the study emphasized that an increase in cocoa content in chocolates correlated with a reduced risk of dental caries
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